Triple Lakes Trail Half Marathon Training Week #1

When I train for full marathons, I run four days a week; when I train for half marathons, I only run three days a week. My body doesn't work well on high mileage, and there's no reason (other than runner's greed) to run more if you've found your sweet spot for a certain distance... in my opinion.

I'm also playing it smart as I'm coming back from injury and not trying to increase my mileage or speed too quickly. I told you here that I've picked my next half marathon to be a trail race so that speed isn't a concern - I'm not going to PR on a trail race, let's be honest.

So my approach for halves! Twice on weekdays, I run between three and seven miles, and one weekend day is usually the long run. I'll have one or two rest days, and I'll incorporate strength training at least twice a week. When I strength train, I make sure I do that first, as it's the priority workout.

Sunday 07/12
REST DAY. Mwahaha, the plan begins with rest. Pretty much aced this workout.

Monday 07/13
5.7 miles + squats + bridges with leg lifts. As I stepped outside for this run, I was super happy. It was cool(er) and overcast. Then I started running and realized that it was cool and overcast because it had thunder stormed that night. Needless to say, it took about 0.003 miles in before I realized the humidity was ridic. Like, I could cut the air probably, microwave it, and use it as gravy... ew, what? Then squats on squats on squats with dumbbells. I wasn't shaking by the last set, which means it's time to up the dumbbell weight! Woo!

On MONDAYS, we wear pink - pink shoes, pink socks, pink shorts. Not pictured: pink headband.

Tuesday 07/14
Triceps + chest + 60 minute elliptical. Huzzah, cross training! Tricep cable pull downs, overhead tricep press, tricep/chest press, chest flys while balancing on a stability ball, then an easy(ish)-peasy(ish) elliptical session.

Wednesday 07/15
1 mile "warm up" + 3.5 miles. Yes, the two need to be separated - they were so not the same run. OKAY. So this day, I flew to California. I was up at 1am east coast time (excitement) to leave at 3:30am to catch flight #1 that left at 6am to get to a one hour layover in Chicago... then four hour flight #2 leaving at local time 8:10am, getting me to San Diego at 10:20am west coast time. Body clock was off three hours meaning legs and hunger were off three hours. Joe picked me up, went back to work, and I explored. I set out for what I planned to be 4 consecutive miles, but for the first few minutes, I headed straight into major people traffic. I was awkwardly dodging all sorts of groups of skateboarders and surfers and children and dogs, and I couldn't enjoy it (plus the fact I was wayyyy out of it from my flights and lack of sleep). Then un-ignorable nature called (TMI?), so I thankfully retraced my steps back to Joe's, equaling about a mile. I set out for a successful take two in the opposite direction, which took me to a bike path along the beach - um, YES. However, I was reminded that I am NOT an afternoon (or after-traveling) runner.

Thursday 07/16
Rest day. This was a big decision, actually. Every race that I've ever, ever, ever, ever done has had a plan that incorporated two rest days a week. After getting hurt, exercising differently, and going to physical therapy, I started working out six days a week. Looking back, that contained a lot of yoga (which I'm no longer doing due to my hip/nerve issues). I hemmed and hawed over what I wanted to do this day for a workout, over-analyzing each aspect from "well, I'm still sort of sore in my upper body from Tuesday and from being upright for like, 24 hours yesterday" to "I really don't want to work my legs today because I need to remember I'm coming back from injury..." I felt like I SHOULD workout, but I didn't want to. That whole addiction thing rang in my head, but the memories of months of crying over painful movements and jogging inabilities were louder.

Saw this sign that day on a walk. Fitting, huh?

Friday 07/17
Biceps + planks + 45 minute stair climber intervals. I felt super rejuvenated this day after my rest day (even though we stayed up until ungodly hours hosting a cook out... er, excuse me, a BBQ... stupid west coasters... anyway). I got a two week membership to Joe's gym down the street and did bicep curls and hammer curls separated by some planking. Then I dominated the stairs. I swear, sometimes stair climbing intervals seem more difficult than running 400 meter or mile repeats. I alternated 3 minutes easy and 4 minutes hard, and I was drenched and huffing and puffing by the end. Oh, and if you're wondering how I got a nice 45 minutes out of those numbers, I began and ended with easy segments. Loved it. On an annoying note though, the machines at this gym shut off after 20 minutes. Rude.

Saturday 07/18
7 miles. We woke up to crashing thunder - like, window-shaking, dog-barking, car-alarming thunder. Luckily, it broke for a bit, so I still got a (humid) run in. I was going to run along Ocean Beach's Sunset Cliffs, but given the slippery ground (and the fact that these are cliffs), I thought it would be safer to run on the bike path I found a few days ago. Positive: I ran through the middle of a 5K! Always a nice bout of inspiration/motivation/competition! Negative: Knee woes. I felt a little tingle in my IT band knee (hip side was fine, praise Jesus). I was told by my first PT that since I had ITBS so badly, I'd probably feel some heaviness and pressure in my knee for the next year or so... I'm hoping this was that and not a re-tightening. I'm planning on going easier with the weekday distances and cardio cross training next week just in case.

What's your favorite cross training activity?
Do you get a little upset when fellow runners don't wave back?

Lies & Triggers & Bragging - Oh, My!

Please know that with this post, it is not my intention to call anyone out, hurt anyone's feelings, or critique anyone's blog. This is just something I do (or rather don't do) for me, and I wanted to get it off my chest.

There aren't really any numbers here on She's Going the Distance.

Running success is measured numerically - like any sport, really - and primarily with speed. The winner of any race has his or her net time noted, world records require the fastest time, and some races hold speed-related entrance criteria.

Then there's weekly mileage (number), races completed (number), years running (number)... you see my point.

I've noted some distances during my recent return to running from injury, and my Instagram has some Garmin/RunKeeper pics on it (but that one's going to stop).

"And why?" you ask. Comparison. And mostly comparison of myself to myself.

There are many times I want to post my race PRs and my training run stats. I honestly sometimes feel that if I had those numbers documented here, I'd be more respected as a runner and a blogger. I occasionally want to join you who have your personal bests written down the side of your home pages; I want to brag about numeric accomplishments of which I'm proud.

Then I'll have a bad (read: slow, read: THIS IS INJURY-IN-THE-MAKING THINKING) run and be thankful I don't because I wouldn't want to post it. But isn't that a lie of omission? Aren't bad (cough-slow) runs just as important as the good ones and deserved to be included? Runs have feelings, too.

Please know: I don't think being a fast runner is the one and only way to be a good runner... not one bit. This is my own being hard on myself stupid thinking. "Slow" and "fast" are so relative to each, they aren't catch-all words. Again, this is MK's voice to MK.

Also I'll see someone else discuss a faster run or a higher mileage week, and I'll be triggered to compare. I'll sometimes feel lesser and unworthy - and it's no one's doing but my own.

So I keep speeds off my blog. I'll most likely keep talking (briefly) about distances (I mean, I'm "going" it, aren't I?), but I don't want to include times.

Remember this feeling I talked about? That's how I want to differentiate a "good run" from a "bad run." As mentioned, only caring about speed got me hurt and set me out of the game for months. In an effort to remove this unrealistic importance, I'm attempting to refrain from making it an aspect on my blog. The time it takes to run a mile shouldn't determine if you had fun during that mile.

If you post your times, your goals, your bests, I'm so proud of you! I applaud your confidence and your success. I just don't think it's a good choice for me.

SORRY FOR THE LACK OF PICTURES! ;)

Feel Good Post!

Namaste, fools.

I wanted to share some good Internet happiness today!

First up - this amazing video, where strangers meet in a dark room and talk... then the lights come on. "Labels are for cans, not for people."

This hilarious BuzzFeed post about why running is horrible, awful, no good, stay away. Enjoy the virtual giggle.

The fact that my high school cross country teammate Ryan Hill is going to the World Outdoor Championships! (Okay, so this happened a while ago, and I'm just now sharing it, but yay Ryan!) Does this make me famous by association?

A reminder that Ryan's fast is not my fast, my fast is not your fast, and your fast is not my fast. Yeah.
theBERRY

And then this is me as a pumpkin from 2007 during cross country season. Relevant.

And while this isn't an Internet find, another half marathon training cycle started for me yesterday (!) ... with a rest day. Killing it.

Happy Monday!

Back to Basics

I'm more or less functioning without pain now, and so I've been assessing my upcoming training and looking back on past cycles.

I have kept one Excel spreadsheet for many, many years where I collect my training plans for races in different tabs. The evolution of these tabs is enlightening.

My training for my very first half marathon is located in the oldest tab. The cells are color coded to depict running days, cross training days, and rest days. Running days have the mileage number - no pace data, no indication of tempo/interval/recovery/base, zippo. The cross training days show "CT" - I don't know if that day was a cardio cross train (elliptical, bike) or a strength cross train (biceps, triceps, back, shoulders, chest, lower body). I didn't get hurt during the training for this race, and I remember enjoying each workout.

Over the years, that format changed. The first huge jump was made when I started documenting specific cross training. I think that was beneficial; now I'd know when I last did upper body versus lower body to even out my gains. Nobody wants to skip leg day...

Then started the running specifics. I think this is a two-way street. On the one hand, I think it's very important to remember when you do hard workouts and when you do easy workouts. Easy, easy, easy doesn't challenge you, but hard, hard, hard can injure you. The other hand will be discussed further down...

I added the same kind of components to my strength training cells. In addition to "biceps, triceps," I also recorded the number of reps and number of sets for each type of exercise.

In short, my Excel tabs have gone from containing cells that could hold at most 4 characters to containing cells that have novels written in them.

I think this kind of detail can be extremely beneficial if used for good and not evil. Unfortunately, I am a creature of comparison, and if there is past numerical data available, you can bet your ass I'll be reviewing obsessing over it. 

Why was last month's 7 mile base run faster than today's? I did 4 sets of 15 reps of bicep curls yesterday, but I did 5 sets of 17 last week! What gives!?

As my Excel chronicles increased in size, my appreciation of my physical ability diminished. 

And that's why I'm going back to basics. The comparison has officially driven me crazy; I'm going to keep some record of what I've been doing but nothing that can give me the means to harass and negatively critique myself. I think the KISS principle applies to me and my Excel sheet - keep it simple, stupid. 

What kind of detail do you keep for your running? 

PDH

What is PDH, you ask? Pretty. Damn. Happy.

Here are some MK running updates:

Last weekend, I ran my first run without pain. It was 3.5 miles on the treadmill with Joe sitting and watching in a folding chair in my basement. I was ecstatic. And he's an amazing boyfriend.

Like a race spectator, except not.

Tuesday before leaving for my family vacation, I ran 6 miles outside. Now folks, this is the farthest I've run since my BQ in January. And once again, it was WITHOUT PAIN! I don't know what felt better - crossing that finish line or finishing this run... (okay, you caught me, it was crossing that finish line [honest blog]).

After the endorphins wore off, the over-analyzing set in. I had taken Ibuprofen that morning prior to running. I was EXTREMELY concerned that those pills were the reason I felt no pain - not because I was actually healing. Trust me, I know the issues that arise with taking anti-inflammatory meds before working out, including blocking important pain receptors needed to know if you're injured and to warn you to stop. Silly MK.

Well anyway, I decided I was going to run again on Friday and make SURE I did not take any drugs.

Enter second concern: upping distance.

Do I want to run 14 miles right this very minute as I'm typing this? Yes.

Do I need to realize I haven't run these ANY distances in months thanks to nerves, hips, and IT bands, and do I need to increase my mileage slowly? Yes and yes.

Enter third concern: speed.

So, humble brag, I'm thrilled with my speed. Thrilled. I've apparently not lost that much, and even with the addition of summer heat, I'm performing really well. Hmm, okay MK, the reason you got hurt in the first place was because of your tight IT band from always wanting each run to be faster, faster, faster. Cool it on caring about the speed.

Subtract concerns two and three.

Friday came around, and I was nervous as hell. I went out...

...and ran without meds and without pain.

4.15 miles for the 4th of July weekend of 2015 (ha, get it!?)

I'm PDH x 19,020,238,230. And the praise goes to God.

Tell me about your return from an injury!

He's going the distance, among other events...

This was a whirlwind weekend full of all kinds of emotions.

LET'S REWIND TO THURSDAY.

Mother and I went to our town's minor league baseball game, and she caught a foul ball! She's the one with the hand-eye coordination in the family; that's why I run.

Though there wasn't much competition - look at those filled seats...

Our team ended up winning in the last inning, which was exciting, but the game was a far cry from my days in DC watching the Nationals.

Friday. Yikes. I ran 5 miles outside (longest distance in six months, whoop whoop!), but unfortunately, I decided to foam roll the completely wrong part of my body. Dear friends, when you have possible nerve damage in your hip/groin area, please do not irritate it by repetitively smashing your body against a cylinder for twenty minutes. Needless to say, I was quite upset and teetered on another "all is wrong with life" moment. Luckily, I realized this wasn't the run's fault (although there was mild pain during it), this was my stupidity, so I didn't dwell for too long thinking I had regressed in recovery.

Then it was early to bed, early to rise, becauseeeeee...

JOE FLEW IN FROM CALIFORNIA. Pardon his squinty eyes. And my ridiculous cowlick.

He traveled the cross country distance to spend one day with me to accompany me to my high school friends' wedding! Most gorgeous. wedding. ever. Because I don't want to be obnoxious and try to get their permission to post pictures or details online while they're on their honeymoon, I'm going to refrain from showing you just how gorgeous - you'll just need to take my word for it. I saw SO MANY good friends from high school that I haven't seen in years. I laughed, I cried, I randomly decided it was a good idea to drink Baileys, I ate too much cheesecake...

Even with his wearing cowboy boots, I was taller.

Sunday made its way to impolitely end my weekend, and something in the back of my mind said, "Run." I tried to shove it off - I ran Friday, and it didn't end well. I was scared. 

But I did it anyway...

Joe has always been my good luck running charm. He has been with me through a ton of races and injuries, and he's sat patiently entertaining himself while I've been off on my long runs.

Sunday I demanded asked him to sit with me as I ran on the treadmill.

3.5 miles and zero pain. None. Nada. It was incredible. I cannot express (ha, you all know) how much I've been wanting and how long I've been waiting for this run - this painless, freeing, emotional, light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel run.

After prancing and screaming and jumping and singing and hugging, we went to brunch with my parents, and then I sadly drove him back to the airport. 36 hours wasn't enough.

I didn't have too much time to mourn because as soon as I got back home, my parents and I went to a downtown symphony concert!

And the weekend ended with a visibly disgusting, yet oddly pleasing salad with cottage cheese and salsa.

Boom.

How was your weekend? 

Hi, I'm MK, and I'm an Over-Analyzer.

If over-analyzing had been a college major, I would have been valedictorian.

I over-analyze everything - from did I really need that second cup of coffee? I don't want to screw up my nervous system! to I can't believe I said "bye" instead of "GOOD bye..."

Recently, I've been over-analyzing my future running and all that comes with it. With the amazing healing that I'm so thankful to be feeling currently, I've picked out three possible half marathons in order to choose my "comeback" race, so to speak. All three are in the same general location, spread out by a few weeks - one is October 10th, one is on the 17th, and one is on the 24th.

I'd need to start training earlier for the one on the 10th. I don't have a base yet! But I didn't really have any sort of base for my very first half... my training was my base, and it was great! But that was before you really did any sort of specific workouts, MK. You weren't concerned with speed or strength, you just ran. 

The one on the 24th is a trail race. You primarily run on streets, MK! You won't be prepared! But the site says it's a good trail race for those who don't do them often... Plus this gives me a way to NOT worry about speed since trail races are slower. I don't need to worry about paces. That's what got me hurt in the first place! 

The frustration is real.

Maybe I should find one in November? No, I want a good mental break from keeping up with a training plan before Boston training. But I don't want to rush into a race! But I want to race!

What if my training plan for this half doesn't work? What if I get hurt again? No, no, I've done many halves using this plan and was fine. Maybe I should add more distance to the three-a-week runs? You didn't for the past several years, if it ain't broke don't fix it. But I did break! But you broke at marathon distances...

I need new shoes. *Insert mother buying me two pair of New Balances here.* But what if I shouldn't be running in NB!? No, I've always run in NB - except this past cycle when I got hurt in Brooks! Well, it's not the shoes' fault you got hurt, it was your "balls to the wall" mindset... But shoes are important!

I sound like Gollum from Lord of the Rings.

My precious...

I finally settled on the October 24th trail race - plenty of time to train, and different, slower terrain. Rhymez.

Running Flashback #2

In honor of #ThrowbackThursday, here is yet another running flashback. As with the other flashback, I wrote this a while ago, and here are some snippets from my injured marathon!

" [...] I spiraled downward after that, over-thinking every little twitch in my knee. I spent the hour+ drive up in prayer with my eyes closed. “Please don’t let the pain be that bad…”

[...]

The remainder of the night was spent in a jaded, numb stupor. I was so sick of thinking about my knee, so sick of worrying about this marathon; I just wanted to go to bed. So we did, but apparently the rest of the hotel didn’t get that memo. Our lovely neighbors were up until our alarms went off.

[...] I downed some oatmeal and Nature Valley shrapnel and taped up my knee. Naturally, I began worrying if I’d taped it correctly. I was silent the majority of the way to the race. My attitude was almost the exact opposite of my giddy self before the New River Marathon.

Things started to turn around after we parked. The hushed excitement of my fellow pre-dawn runners was contagious, and I began to feel ready. The starting line was extremely well-organized, and the MC did a great job. Joe was beside me until the last ten minutes when I began merging to the middle. I was right by the 3:35 pacer in order to try to qualify for Boston (a still unattainable feat at that point).

The gun went off[.] [...] My knee felt fantastic, and I started smiling.

The next few miles were really good. My knee started acting up, but it was nothing like what happened a few days ago on the treadmill. I knew if it stayed at that dull throb, I could do this. I was behind the 3:35 pacer a bit, but since I didn’t cross the starting line right as the clock started, I knew my real time would be a few seconds behind. I could still sprint ahead at the end if I needed to pass the 3:35 runner. I enjoyed these miles for the sheer joy of running. This part of the race was around a beautiful community situated on a lake. The houses were gorgeous, the spectators were enthusiastic, and the signs were hilarious (ex: Run like someone just called you a jogger!) I felt amazing. I was running outside again! No longer sentenced to a treadmill, this was the kind of running I lived for.

[...] Then all of the sudden the sharpest pain went through my knee. It was fleeting, but it brought up the worry I had been wanting to avoid. If this pain is coming now, will it get worse exponentially throughout the remainder of the race? Nothing to do but push on. The 3:35 pacer and I played tag for a while. He’d get ahead, then I’d get ahead, and it messed with my mind. Could I hold this pace? Did I go out too fast? I started thinking about my fueling. With my music, I couldn’t hear the volunteers calling out either “water” or “Powerade,” so I had to guess at stations. When I had guessed incorrectly (water) too many times, I started to worry about my personal Gatorade supply in my water bottle. I did one of the things that marathon experts advise against – I tried something new on race day. I tried Gu… and it worked like a charm.

I left the 3:35 runner in the dust at mile 17. I got a second wind, and I started repeating phrases to myself. “Make it hurt. Make December worth it.” [...] My smile was back.

[...]

Then I heard it: the familiar, deafening, bone-chilling beep of lost satellite reception. I looked down at my Garmin, and sure enough, the little UFO icon was blinking. I actually almost laughed to myself. This was a true test. Could I finish this in my time without the aid of the pacer or my watch? My watch timer was still going, so I noted the time as I passed the 20 mile marker. I kept reminding myself to stay in the mile that I was in. Beat the clock. Focus on these seconds… And that’s what I love about running. Beating yourself, pushing yourself to see what you’re capable of. Intense focus on a piece of the whole. Repeat. Mile marker 21 rolled by, and I checked the time. Perfection. I grabbed more Gu and took off.

[...]

We made a turn, and the finish line was visible. I started striding, unbelievably happy. [...] My music got soft, and I heard, “MK!” Whipping around, I saw Joe beaming and running toward the finish. I turned again and crossed the finish line with the biggest grin. I did it. Well, God did it. I qualified for the 2016 Boston Marathon [...]"

Blessings and Curses

But first! My current top 5 country songs:

Anything Goes - Florida Georgia Line
Cheap Seats - Dallas Smith
Real Life - Jake Owen
Sirens - Lee Brice
Crash and Burn - Thomas Rhett

I tell you these because 1) I'm obsessed with them, and 2) I've put them on my RUNNING PLAYLIST!

Yes, you read correctly, running. I was released from physical therapy last week (!!) and instructed to keep my runs between 3 and 4 miles until the pain goes away completely. Each run has moved me closer to negligible fatigue and farther from leg-dragging pain!

Yesterday, I ran outside at a normal pace for the first time in six months. I smiled the whole time; I felt as if I were flying. I pumped my arms and yipped a bit... I probably looked slightly insane.

You all know this feeling.

A little tidbit I learned from PT (disclaimer: this is one therapist's casual comment, not a medical certainty, but it's something I like to repeat to myself): When recovering and after being cleared to workout, feeling some pain is okay and common. What really indicates healing is how quickly the pain subsides after exercise. Last Monday, I ran three miles on the treadmill and was pretty much out of commission all day. Any movement hurt. Yesterday, I ran three and a half miles outside with much less pain during the run (like hardly any), and it went away in an hour. Progress, not perfection.

Now for the blessings and curses: summer and technology.

We all know summer running is hard. We all know summer running slows you down. I am thankful for these facts - coming back from an injury, I'm going to be slower due to lost fitness... but I can also look at my times and not feel SUPER down, because I know some of it is due to the time of the year! Yay!

The curse part? Summer running is hard, and summer running slows you down.

I use a Garmin and RunKeeper on my phone to track my workouts - sometimes one, sometimes both (I'm a little crazy).

All the gadgets!

I LOVE being able to look back at past runs! I love being able to give myself a little boost of confidence after viewing my stats from a hard run, and I love being able to see progress! But... while it's true that heat can slow me down, I can also look back at runs from LAST June and compare. Yikes.

I'm working really hard on not comparing. I'm pretty sure I've commented on that notion 39,233 separate times on ya'll's blogs. What I want to remember is that feeling I had yesterday - that smile, that mid-run fist pump. Wish me luck!

Any country music suggestions?
Anyone else a victim of comparison?

Can I play too?

Typically, bloggers' weekly workout recaps give me slight major jealousy. If you are one of the, like, eight people that read this blog, you know why - my current injured state leaves my life void of running, so seeing your casual ten miler brings about self pity.

However, I've been keeping active in any way possible that doesn't aggravate my injury (big lesson learned the hard way... injuries don't heal unless you let them heal). And I want to join in on the documentation of exercise! Maybe this will be helpful in the future for someone who needs ideas on what to do (or not to do) during recovery.

Sunday 05/31
Attempted run. I say attempted because this was the run that made me realize I need to continue physical therapy. I walked/ran (let me tell you, these slow walk/run intervals are humbling when your stupid, earthly, egotistical mind wants to show the world you're a marathoner) for 28 minutes while dragging my right leg behind me. I cried the rest of the day as my workout. Crying burns calories, right?

Monday 06/01
PT homework and 45 minutes on the stair-climber. My PT homework can be found here. I have a love/hate relationship with most machines at the gym (except the treadmill). If I get into a groove, I love it, and I did on this day. I like to find songs where I can step to the beat on the climber, and country music usually hits the correct pace to leave me drenched in sweat 10 minutes in. I also pretend I'm climbing some unknown mountain. Usually at the end of a workout, I'll whip a flag out of my pocket and claim the stair-climber as my own.

Tuesday 06/02
I went to my NEW therapy on this day (yes, I was lucky to get an appointment within two days), so I wanted to keep it semi-light. I did this yoga video at home afterwards. My leg was still sore from Sunday's downfall.

Wednesday 06/03
I went to the gym before another PT appointment and did hip work, PT homework, and then I biked for an hour. Since my hips are the issue, I think strengthening them is going to help a ton. Hip adductor and abductor machines, while extremely awkward, give me that great leg burn (the good kind) and surprisingly don't hurt! In fact, they made it feel a little bit - dare I say it? - better. When it comes to the stationary bike, I keep things interesting by adjusting the resistance constantly. Wednesday, I picked an "easy," "medium," "hard," and "extra credit" level of resistance, and went up the ladder every five minutes. Once I got to "extra credit," I started over at "easy." Then I went to PT, and he had me run 1.3 miles after stretching me and pushing me and popping me and casting a spell on me, and I had significantly less pain... we'll see where it goes from here...

Thursday 06/04
I went rollerblading. While listening to the Chess musical soundtrack. Can we all agree I'm the coolest kid ever?

BuzzFeed

Friday 06/05
Friday I did one of my favorite arm workouts ever; I call it "Rock Arms" - not because my arms resemble rocks in any way, shape, or form, but because I always listen to classic rock while doing this workout. Grab your handy dandy timer and some lighter (but don't be a baby about it) dumbbells and:

1:30 minutes - hammer curls
0:30 rest
1:30 minutes - tricep kickbacks
0:30 rest
1:30 minutes - shoulder presses
0:30 rest
1:30 minutes - bicep curls
0:30 rest
1:30 minutes - side arm raises
0:30 rest

Repeat twice more for a total of 30 minutes.

I also did more hips and homework.

Saturday 06/06
Active rest - yoga at a local studio with a side of almost headstand and a dash of tanning in the backyard with some of Milwaukee's finest.

My one true love. Sorry, Joe.

Sunday 06/07
Hips, 45 minutes on the stair-climber, and 25 minutes on the bike. Country music and varying resistances were used as aforementioned.

Also, I now spend about 10 to 20 minutes foam rolling and stretching after my workouts.

Alrighty, guys...

Monday 06/08
I went to PT. Things have been getting better, but they aren't perfect. He pulled and poked some more and then said, "Go run a 5K. Come back in an hour." So I did... and there was pain, but not like before. I would not have done this if my PT did not give the okay. Fingers crossed, prayers prayed...

What do you like to do when your #1 workout/exercise routine is out of the question?

Kitchen Triumphs

The day I had my woe-is-me moment, I opened one of the coolest books ever and read the following:

"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." - 1 Peter 5:10-11

I needed that.

Anywho. Onto the kitchen!

Many of you have been posting about your June goals, and it reminded me that I had a summer goal myself regarding the poaching of pre-birds.

Well, I did it!

I'll spare you the details, considering you all probably know how this is done. I'm a late bloomer.

The stringy whites separated themselves... beginner's luck?

I let the egg sit for about three and a half minutes before scooping it out.

See!? It's own separation. Such a smart egg.

And the finished product:

Sandwich thin, spinach, and of course, Sriracha.

And another culinary concoction - black bean burgers! Doing my best on this pescetarian thing!

Ingredients:
1 can of black beans
1 egg
A sufficient amount of crackers (I used 34 baby saltines)
Garlic powder
NOT PICTURED: Tabasco 

Pulse the crackers in a food processor or blender, and then separately pulse the beans until gooey (but not like a sauce). Combine the crackers, beans, egg, garlic powder, and Tabasco, and mix.

Mmmm. Yum.

Form into patties! Mine made three. They were also very slimy and slippery (probably could have used more crackers, but they turned out amazing, so I'm not complaining).

I let these puppies go for about three minutes on each side, then I stood them up to get around the edges.

Nom nom nom.

I prefer salads to sandwiches, so a salad it was!

The insides were still soft, but it held together nicely. I was very pleased.

What's your favorite thing to cook?

The "Good Thing My Dad Drove" Workout + Mild Displeasure

Yesterday I went up to visit my advisor at the school I'll be attending in the fall to PICK OUT MY CLASSES a;ldkfj;lkdasjflkjl. I'm just a little excited for August.

Good thing my dad drove, considering I still couldn't lift my arms from the workout I did on Saturday:

5 sets of tricep overhead extensions with dumbbells
5 sets of chest presses with dumbbells
5 sets of tricep dips
5 sets of stability ball push ups
5 sets of tricep cable push downs
5 sets of reps on the hip abductor
5 sets of reps on the hip adductor
2 x 1:00 minute Russian twists with a medicine ball

OH, AND NOT TO MENTION ALL MY PT "HOMEWORK:"

Clam shells
Resistance band walking
Planks on planks on planks
Donkey kicks
One legged clock squats - which are the coolest, shakiest things ever, and you can see a demo below!

Here's the section you can choose to skip if you'd like. I just need to rant.

I'm mad. MAD. PISSED. ANGRY. UPSET. And then I'm sad.

I have to continue physical therapy. I tried running over the weekend, just a little over two miles split with walking, and my right hip protested hard.

So yeah, I'm mad, and this is my blog, so here's my pity party.

A little humor from theBERRY before hashing it out.

I have struggled for months now to heal and get back to running. My original injury is virtually gone, but this stupid other side reared its ugly head. I feel like I am never going to even be able to run two miles without pain let alone Boston in 2016. It hurts to walk sometimes. I can't elliptical. Biking makes it tight. I thought I was out of this dark, running-less tunnel in early May until my other leg decided to become dead weight. I see no exit; I see no relief.

It makes me want to cry constantly. I have flashbacks to days when I'd crank out 13 miles before most of my friends were awake. I miss the feeling of empowerment. I miss the mind games played during hours on pavement. It also makes me want to never open my laptop... seeing all of the bloggers out there posting about their happy runs and training schedules and race excitement. Misery loves company, and none of you are my allies.

theBERRY

I have been praying constantly. I've also been yelling and cursing at God, asking Him why He's doing this to me. (Real mature, yeah). I can't STAND that He's not working on MY schedule.

I'm also humbled big time. And maybe that was the point of this whole thing... but then it's like, "Okay, got it now, HEAL ME, PLEASE."

Am I selfish? Yes. But am I honest? Yes.

I just miss running a lot.

Giphy

Running Flashback

Since I'm in my current state of recovery, I know I haven't written a lot of happy things about running.

SO. Here's a running flashback to my first marathon! I wrote a very lengthy recap a looong time ago, and here are some excerpts. Enjoy!


"[...] and make my oatmeal sprinkled with pretzels. I re-pin my bib 800 times, wrap myself in a blanket, and get in the car. It’s freezing. Well, it’s not actually freezing, but the sun hasn’t come up yet, and it’s in the low 40s.

We get to the course around 6:30, so I have about 45 minutes to wait before lining up.

[...]

The deafening silence of the pre-gun hesitation threatens to overwhelm me, but then the gun (air horn) goes off, and so do we. My toes are numb, and I still have goosebumps, but I’m smiling as I pass the cheering crowd and see Mom, Dad, and Joe. A combination of “Mary Katherine,” “Kak,” and “MK” are screamed at me, which makes my smile grow larger; I’m a lot of different things balled into one.

We pass the first mile marker, and I look at my watch. 7:52. Wait. Did we start at 7:42 or 7:44? Am I clocking a 10 minute mile? [...] Oh well, I’ll call it 10 just to be sure I run sub-4. The numbers consume me.

The sun is shining, and it feels wonderful until the wind blows. Suddenly, the course takes a turn, and we’re running a 50 degree incline. The second mile marker comes around, and my Garmin tells me mile 2 took 9 minutes. It’s okay, I was running uphill. I’ll make up for it later.

I pass a runner in a green shirt and black leggings. She looks at me and chokes, “I thought the hard stuff came later!” We all knew about the hill from mile 14 to 17. “Me too…” The corresponding downhill begins, and she plows ahead.

[...] I’m uneasy though. I want to enjoy this race. I want to run for the love of running. My legs feel fresh thanks to the unbearable taper, I’m well hydrated, my breathing is perfect. [Screw] this time thing. I’m running to run.

I decide then I’m going to play tag. There’s a girl in a sports bra a few yards in front of me. You’re mine. Thinking about nothing except matching my foot falls to her shoulder swings, I zero in. Momentarily, I glide to her side and pass. I have no idea what my time was for that mile.

Basking in the glow of my successful tag, I get hungry for another. I pick off a few more, and all of a sudden I see green shirt/black leggings. I stride out a bit to catch up to her. When I do, she calls out, “Awesome job!” “You too!” I say back.

[...]

I trek along, looking around at the scenery. On my right, the sparkling New River, and on my left, beautifully cut lawns and giant mountain homes. I continue smiling and feeling strong, and soon I begin to recognize street signs and landmarks; I know we’re closing in on the first loop, and we’ll pass the start soon.

[...]

“Coast upwards” is a bit of an understatement. The roads we are running on are literally vertical – the ups slow you to a crawl, and the downs almost barrel you into Hell. This marathon is so small and so difficult, we’ve all spread out and are all basically running by ourselves now. I see the mile 13 marker up ahead and realize I haven’t checked my watch since mile 3. 

[...]

There’s a tiny neon green speck in the distance that I follow. I want him to be my next tag, but all my focus is now on getting over these hills. A few more minutes pass, and two more runners come into view. As I gaze ahead, to my horror I see a gradual incline flowing ominously into the horizon. Here goes everything. Instead of focusing on the hill, I focus on playing tag. Suddenly, the runners ahead take a sharp right, leaving the path defined by the outstretching ascent. For about a millisecond, I’m relieved. No more hill! Then reality hits. As I take the turn myself, I’m suddenly faced with the steepest terrain I’ve ever attempted to shuffle over. Not only are we running up a mountain, but the course has changed from a paved paradise to a gravelly monster.

[...]

This is so hard. I’m barely running; no one could call this running. No, this is running. This is definitely running. I’m running up a freaking mountain. I’m amazing. I’m so strong. Look at what I’m doing!

“You beasted that hill!” A few spectators have perched at the crest. I smile, but from viewing the map, I know this peak has an identical twin. Down I go, trying not to land my previously pained foot on any rocks. The path curves left and right and left again, and then I see the beginning of the second hill. No thoughts, just do.

This hill goes by more easily than the last, probably because I know from here on out it’s downhill and flat; however, the downhill poses the biggest problem. My breathing unfocused and shallow, I develop a side stitch. [...] The stitch fades, but now my toe starts paining me. Well, that toenail is a goner.

Thinking about form, breathing, toenails and the lack of them, climbs, and strides, I don’t realize how many miles have gone by. Suddenly, a big “20” is staring me in the face.

Disclaimer: in all honesty, miles 20 to 24 kind of blur. A lot of spectators, a lot of aid stations, and lot of “thank yous” from me as I wave my personal water bottle at the offerings. I do remember getting giddy at mile 22 and thinking, “This is uncharted territory! I’ve never run this distance before!” Throughout these four miles, however, I do know that I am happy. Perfectly, completely, undeniably happy.

After I run through the aid station at mile 22, I see a female runner who is clearly in pain. As I pass her, she tells me she’s dying. Quickly, I morph into sports psychologist MK and remind her we have less than 4 miles to go at this point. I try to get her to envision the finish line. She tells me I look good, and I take this as a hint to run along.

[...]

Minutes later I’m approaching what can only be the makeshift field-parking lot and the finish. I’m beaming as bikers fly by. “She looked so happy,” one says, astonished. I see cars, hear cheers, and finally make out the numbers on the 26th mile marker. Of course, I start to cry. I hear my name and pick out my mom on the sidelines. “I’m so proud of you! Your Dad and Joe ran to the finish! I couldn’t, but I wanted to be here…” I laugh as she recites a novel to me while I pass.

Suddenly, I’m at a loss for where to go. Do I cut in the grass? I mean, I know where the chute is. I SWEAR, IF MY PERFECT MARATHON ENDS IN CONFUSION…

“Great job! Now you’ll follow the road and turn!”

Thank God for race officials.

Then I see another official standing where I’m pretty sure I need to book it. I give him a concerned look, and he leaps out of the way. I finish with long strides – no need to sprint, I’m going to be strong, not hurried.

Nothing could have been bigger than my smile when I stepped on the mats and grabbed my finisher’s medal.

[...] [T]his was one of the best days of my life."

Gee, thanks a lot... But really. Thanks.

It all comes back to Him.

But first! A look into what I like to call "getting your money's worth."

This morning after an intense Bikram sweat sesh, I dripped my way to the nearest Starbucks for some refreshment. Raise your virtual hand if you are familiar with the Protein Bistro Box. If so, you know that contrary to the picture on the website, the peanut butter comes in a baggie.

Normal people may squeeze what they can from a delicate little corner hole.

NOT I. Exhibit A:

Between this and my poached egg eating habits, I don't know what's more embarrassing awesome.

Hokay, let's get to it.

God. He's pretty cool, and He doesn't hesitate to tell you what's what. A few days ago, I told you all about how I really hope my hip issue goes away now that my IT band is feeling better. It's not (well, it might be, and I might just be feeling post-foam rolling soreness, but that's besides the point).

"Proof of Foam Roll," circa 2015

I'm a sucker for signs, and I truly believe God speaks to us all - we just have to listen and be open to what He has to say. Last night, I was playing around online - whaaa? a blogger online? UNHEARD OF! - when my Facebook feed refreshed, and a friend had posted a lengthy status about why we experience weakness and suffering.

My dears, allow me to point you to 2 Corinthians:

"...but about myself, I will not boast, except about my weaknesses [...] Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me [...] to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ, for when I am weak, then I am strong."

We are nothing without Him. He gives us our abilities, and He can take them away. We are given sufferings to remind us that we need Him; we need to call upon Him and trust Him. We cannot get cocky with our accomplishments or "personal" achievements, because they all come back to Him. We are not self-sufficient (as much as we'd like to believe so).

Lord, thank You for the gentle reminder that I need You always.

No questions for this one. Just reflect, and happy Monday.

Hello, Goodbye, Hello!

Sometimes I consider myself a little nomadic. I've lived in various places for short periods of time (read: internships), and my friend groups change often. I've always been okay with this. I get bored semi-easily, and I like to start new things and new routines. After undergrad graduation, I began a job in DC, and this is the longest I've been not only in one place for an extended amount of time (two years and no breaks like with college) but with the same friends.

Running around DC and the monuments is a great way to start a morning.

Well, that's all about to change.

I'm quitting my job in ten days and moving again to go get my Masters in Kinesiology with a concentration in Sport and Exercise Psychology! I'm so incredibly excited...

...but naturally, as with any move, this transition comes with a lot of uncertainties and insecurities.

Yes, as aforementioned, I've made friends multiple times before. I've adjusted to new places multiple times before. But also as aforementioned, this is the longest I haven't had to do any of that.

What if I've forgotten how?

What if cubicle life sucked the social butterfly out of me?

And on the what-if roll, what if I've forgotten how to study? How to be a student?

I could go on and on.

And it's funny, because these questions are similar to the questions with which I concern myself regarding my running ability. What if this injury has caused me to forget how to run? What if I won't be as good as I used to be?

Pause, MK. Breathe. No one comes out of the womb with the ability to run 26.2 miles, or even 1 for that matter. The process of building up endurance takes time, dedication, and heart. An injury only takes one from you and strengthens the others. But time is relative.

I'll be okay in grad school. It's a new adventure! I have to take it day by day, mile by mile. Adjustment will take time, dedication, and heart, but the adjustment will be made. Change isn't always easy. And there's no point thinking about the finish line before the gun goes off.

Doesn't Runner's World just get us all?

What big changes have you made recently?

I hope this is the final exam.

This running injury has felt like a semester-long course. I've learned so much over the past 5+ months that I'll definitely carry with me throughout the rest of my running career.

This past fall, I was training for the Louisiana Marathon in Baton Rouge, LA. The race was scheduled for January 2015, and I was determined to qualify for Boston. The course was fast and flat - and it didn't hurt that my boyfriend lived in New Orleans at the time. Killing two birds with one stone, eh? A visit and a race (I'll let you decide which one I was most excited about ;) ...)

Training was going phenomenally. Let me tell you what, I was hitting paces I didn't think I could!

*Disclaimer: That does not mean they were fast paces by everyone's standards. They were fast for me, and I was proud, and, well, I got addicted to the improvement and the speed... Cue foreboding music.

Anyway.

I won a trail race!

Trailapalooza was so much fun and gorgeous!

I got a shiny new PR for my half marathon time (also in Louisiana... thanks, love, for being my running posse and free hotel)!

These awesome, slightly blurry pics are brought to you by my Instagram, back in action after a brief deletion.

And then things went downhill. I started getting angry with myself if my training runs weren't consistently faster. I was annoyed if I didn't run negative splits.

Early December, I got what was coming to me. Hello, Mr. IT Band! Nice to make your acquaintance!

Not knowing what it was, I still ran. When I couldn't get out of bed take it anymore, I saw a doctor, and he diagnosed me with a tight IT band from overuse, but told me I could probably still run the marathon.

So I did. And I qualified for Boston. When I tell you crossing that finish line in the time needed was one of my happiest moments, I am not lying.

Unfortunately, this wasn't without consequences. My whole left leg needed some serious TLC.

I cried, I biked, I doggy-paddled, and when I still couldn't sit without feeling tightness, I began to see a physical therapist.

I have learned that I cannot incorporate races into my training because I will race the races. Some people can do this, while even others can run races without racing; I cannot. Lesson learned.

I have learned that a common school of thought is that 80% of our training should be easy miles. Your weekly long runs aren't the marathon. It's okay if one week is slower. Lesson learned.

I have learned that comparison is the thief of joy. Looking at slower split times sucked the fun out of the sport. I can't be so hard on myself. Lesson learned.

I have learned to listen to my body when it needs rest. It's smarter than I am, and if I listen to it, it will reward me. Lesson learned.

In the past week, I've returned to running with five minute intervals separated by walking breaks. My IT band is very happy... but my opposite hip is not. Seems I must have been compensating during the injury, because now the right leg hurts.

I really hope this is the final exam of this semester. I will take all the aforementioned knowledge and put it to use - I will not push myself, I will listen to the cry of my hip, and I will be patient. 

Because a few days nursing this tightness is better than repeating the grade, AMIRITE!?

What are your injury lessons learned?

Anyone else a member of the 5 month club?

The Hook

It doesn't matter what I say,

So long as I sing with inflection

That makes you feel I'll convey

Some inner truth or vast reflection.

But I've said nothing so far,

And I can keep it up for as long as it takes.

And it don't matter who you are.

If I'm doing my job, then it's your resolve that breaks

Because the hook brings you back.

-"Hook," Blues Traveler

One of my favorite songs, and I felt like it was fitting for my first blog installment. 

For some reason - well, not for some reason, for the reason that I am who I am - I've been putting a lot of pressure on myself to come up with an awesome debut post; a hook, if you will. I want to come across funny, I want to come across witty, I want you to appreciate and agree with every single word I type.

Sounds a bit dictator-ish.

But I've read enough of the blog world to know that you won't always think I'm funny or witty, and you'll definitely not always agree with what I say. In fact, some of you will agree with so little that you'll leave comments telling me so.

And there lies the root of why it's taken me so long to actually create a blog myself and become part of this community that I know and love - insecurities.

A few months ago, I got rid of my Instagram because it wasn't making me feel very good. I'm a long distance runner, and I got hurt (that's a whole 'nother blog post comin' atcha soon...), and seeing the Insta-runners post their Garmin shots and split times made me feel, well, like shit.

I felt like an outcast, like I was kicked to the shunned curb of that golden sidewalk where I so longed to plod for miles and miles. I felt as if I was no longer a runner. 

That's when I lived vicariously through you all for a bit, reading up on your athletic adventures, and I wanted to become one of you, but insecurities held me back. Did I really have anything to say? What if my life is too boring? What if I said something wrong and upset someone? What if the comments are mean? What if I work out too much? What if I work out too little? What if someone thinks one of my healthy meals isn't healthy? What if, what if, what if...

*Side note: Someone is singing horribly on the balcony next to my apartment. It's really distracting when I'm trying to be all deep and stuff.

I wasn't sure if I had anything to add to this hashtag-fitness-life world. 

And then I thought about what a crap view that was and how wrong it is.

We all have something to add because we are all different. And that's the beauty of not thinking I'm funny or witty or agreeable. If that was the case all the time, we'd all be the same and would have no need for this community. We would have one blog to rule them all, one blog to find them... 

We all have different fitness paths and different training cycles. Sarah's chapter 7 of life shouldn't read the same as Jenny's. We have opinions, we all go through ups and downs, and we all choose to share what we choose to share.

So I'll ask you now...

What insecurities did you overcome with blogging?

What turned you to your blog?

DO YOU THINK I'M FUNNY AND WITTY!?

...yeah, don't answer that last one.

I get a ton (all) of my pictures from theBERRY.